A New Parliament For MPs? That’s Buying The Chubby Kid A Golden Plate

First son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo, a businessman, says he is “intrigued” by Parliament’s UGX36b “parking palace” and opines that instead, a new Parliament should have been built in Luweero or Nakasongola “so that the MPs can spend time deliberating instead of running errands and dodging parliamentary sessions”.

That is like saying, the king who has eaten himself into chubbiness now deserves a golden plate instead of a pass to a gym. I am intrigued by the MPs’ number but further mortified by the suggestion that instead of ensuring that number grows no more [and is slashed], room is being created in our thoughts for ideas of bricking up a new House. Can’t we slash their already army-sized growing number? It is that exaggerated figure driven by unending creation of districts in the name of taking services [that are yet to arrive in many places] closer to the people that is creating room for needs such as a 500-vehicle parking lot, whose security system will separately cost UGX16b. Other than sinking down the debt hole to an extent of beeping journalists, the list of the good this country’s colossal number of legislators comes with is shorter than the “pinky”.

And I hear many chuckles at Mr. Rwabwogo’s outside-Kampala House “with good access roads, gardens…” “Where are the good access roads for Ugandans?” those who choose not to laugh are heard asking.

And thank you Mr. Rwabogo for the reminder of the figure (UGX100b) that is the amount of money that was spent on Entebbe State House. Ugandan figures surely know how to sober me up. Occasional drinkers should turn to them as antidotes at the apex of their hangovers. Wait, some say they drink because of those numbers.